Canterbury celebrates history at Old Home Day

CANTERBURY — The town green traveled back in time at Canterbury’s annual Old Home Day on Saturday in a celebration of more than 300 years of history and the arrival of fall.

"Canterbury Old Home Day is a chance for people to return to their hometown and see what they missed," said Linda Orlomoski, president of Canterbury's Historical Society. "It's a great community event that celebrates the town's history."

The town’s founding in 1703 means it's only appropriate that the Historical Society refers to the event as “old-timey.”

Vendors dressed in 16th century attire performing trades such as blacksmithing, chair-caning, and basket weaving, to name a few, filled the green.

While the colonial period was heavily represented, there were also exhibits from World War I as well as vendors selling modern hand-made jewelry and crafts as well as face-painting stations for the kids.

In the past, the event was held at Manship Park, but is now on the green for good reason: the last schoolhouse of the town's original 12 stands in the back by the woods nearby.

Historical Society members decided they wanted the 1807 schoolhouse to be a focal point of the event.

"I went to school here, and my father went to school here," Eleanor Orlomoski, a lifetime member of the Historical Society said while standing in the schoolhouse. "My father had eight brothers and sisters, and they all came to school here. I had six brothers and sisters, and they all came to school here. I've had connections to this school for many years."

The other 11 schoolhouses that the town once had were either turned into private residences or have since been demolished.

On each Old Home Day, a new display dedicated to a historical member of the town is highlighted with an exhibit in the corner of the schoolhouse.

This year, the town is honoring George Washington Smith, who owned a mast hoop-making business.

His hoop-making shop has even been recreated as an exhibition at the Mystic Seaport honoring the history of an old trade.

"I just love the historical aspect of the event," Canterbury resident Morris Rainville said while enjoying the day with his daughter and wife. "I love looking at the different exhibitors and asking them why they do what they do, how they got into the trade, and what their historical interest is, too. It's just a wonderful day."

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